Messy mix of snow, sleet to make for dangerous Tuesday commute

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NEW YORK — A wintery mix of snow and sleet is forecast to fall overnight Monday and much of Tuesday in the tri-state area, making for a dangerous day of commuting.

Two to 4 inches of snow and sleet is likely in New York City, northeast New Jersey, the Lower Hudson Valley, parts of Long Island and southern Connecticut, the National Weather Service stated Monday morning.

Larger amounts of 4 to 7 inches of snow and sleet is likely in Orange and western Passaic counties, according to the weather service.

Snow could begin falling late Monday, and is expected to overspread the area around 6 a.m. Tuesday. Snow will continue through the morning, and gradually change over to sleet and then to rain by the afternoon.

The exact timing of the changeover is critical to how much snow will accumulate over the region. There will be more precise forecasts as the models come into agreement Monday afternoon or evening.

One fact is for certain, the Tuesday morning commute will be treacherous as the weather service warns visibility will be less than a half mile at times, and snow- and ice-covered roadways will make for slick roadways. Snow and ice accumulation could also cause power lines and tree branches to fall

Coastal areas will be the first to change over as milder air will move in from the Atlantic Ocean. Later in the day, NYC will begin to mix with sleet and rain before changing over to all rain by the evening commute. Interior sections will be the last to change over to rain with some spots remaining mostly snowy for the entire event.

Heavy rain of an inch to 2 inches is expected Tuesday afternoon into the evening, according to the weather service.

The full spectrum of precipitation has prompted a winter weather advisory to begin 6 a.m. Tuesday and last 24 hours for southeast New York, including NYC; northeast New Jersey; and southern Connecticut. A winter storm watch will also go into effect Tuesday morning through the evening western Passaic County and Orange County.